The present invention relates generally to antenna apparatus connectable to radio circuitry and, more particularly, to an antenna assembly having an antenna shaft positionable in either of at least two positions.
Antenna apparatus forms a necessary component of a radio device operable either to transmit or to receive (or operable both to transmit and to receive) electromagnetic waves. Portions of such antenna apparatus are typically of physical characteristics dependent, at least in part, upon the frequencies of the electromagnetic waves which are to be transmitted by, or received by, the antenna apparatus.
When the radio device of which the antenna apparatus forms a portion comprises a consumer, electronic device, the antenna apparatus must not only be of physical characteristics to permit proper reception or transmission of the electromagnetic waves, but, further, the antenna apparatus must be of constructions to permit convenient utilization of the radio device of which the antenna apparatus forms a portion.
An example of a consumer-electronic, radio device is a radio transceiver, such as a portable, cellular radiotelephone operable in a cellular communication system. Antenna apparatus forming a portion of such a device is typically translatable into both a retracted position and a protracted position. When in the retracted position, significant portions of the antenna apparatus are typically positioned within the housing of the radio device. When in the protracted position, portions of the antenna apparatus are typically positioned to extend beyond the housing of the radio device. Other radio devices, of course, similarly include antenna apparatus translatable between a retracted and a protracted position. In some constructions of radio devices, including the radio of the preferred embodiment hereinbelow, the radio devices are operable to transmit and to receive electromagnetic waves when the antenna apparatus is positioned to be in either the retracted or the protracted position.
The antenna apparatus forming the portion of the consumer-electronic, radio device must further be of a construction to permit convenient assembly thereof in the radio device in a high-volume assembly process.